Element of the Month June: Aluminum

Aluminum (Al) is known as a silver-white, ductile and relatively soft metal. It is involved with 8.1% in the structure of the earth’s crust and is therefore – before iron – the third most common element. The metal always occurs in a bound form.

In the mid-18th century, a German chemist discovered alumina as a compound between a previously unknown metal and oxygen. It was not until 1809 that the British Sir Humphry Davy succeeded in extracting aluminum from alumina. It was him who gave the metal its name.

Aluminum can be processed into thin foils, drawn into wire and conducts heat particularly well.

Due to the

• low density
• useful mechanical properties
• Thermal conductivity
• Deformability and
• Corrosion resistance

Aluminum is a popular material.

It is used in many industries:

• Vehicle construction
• Electrical engineering
• Packaging and containers
• Construction
• Pyrotechnics

The production of aluminum is considered to be very complex and expensive. On the one hand, the manufacturing process consumes a lot of electricity, and on the other hand, toxic red mud is formed. At first glance, therefore, aluminum does not have a particularly good ecological balance. However, it is easily reusable. The recycling rate for aluminum is almost 70 percent worldwide, and the trend is rising. This significantly improves the eco-balance for this material.

Product recommendations on the topic:

Aluminum chloride hexahydrate 
Aluminum Hydroxide 
Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate 
Aluminum monophosphate solution 
Aluminum nitrate solution